Egg carton



0. L. VINES EGG CARTON April 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22,1952 INVENTQR. flscarl. l zfies M/f AT TORN 5 April 26, 1955 o. L. VINESI 2,707,073

EGG CARTON Filed Aug. 22. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR. 036d) .5.V0263 BY Q41 4 flaw/Q41 ATTOR United States Patent EGG CARTON Oscar L.Vines, New York, N. Y., assignor to Alford Cartons, Ridgefield Park, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 22, 1952, Serial No.305,745

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to a collapsiblemulticelled ca rton primarily intended for packaging eggs but alsosultable for holding any articles having generally spherical orspheroidal shapes.

A carton for packaging eggs or similarly frag1le articles must meet twogeneral requirements. First, it must fold flat for handling and shipmentwhen empty; second, it must be easily erected, and, when erected, musthave sufficient rigidity to protect the articles contained thereinagainst ordinary crushing and joggling. Inasmuch as such cartons areusually intended to be discarded after a single use, they are made ofinexpensive paper board, a material which, of itself has littlerigidity. It is therefore necessary to rely on the various panels andpartitions of the erected carton to support and stiffen each other. Suchsupport and stiitening is usually obtained by dovetailing the transverseand longitudinal panels or partitions of the carton in such a mannerthat no partition has a very extensive unsupported section. This methoddoes not however provide more than the inherent stiffness of the paperboard material itself, and results in a carton which has relativelysmall resistance to crushing by transverse forces unless the structureof the carton is made very complex. However, as the carton structurebecomes more complex, its production, assembly and erection becomescorrespondingly more costly and time consuming.

I have now invented a novel egg carton structure, the blank for whichmay be cut from a single sheet of paper board. My new structure providesgreatly increased resistance to transverse crushing of the carton aswell as greater over-all rigidity. I achieve this desirable feature in acarton having the customary cover panel, side and bottom wall panels, acentral longitudinal partition, and a transverse partition panel fromwhich depend into the carton a plurality of transverse partitions, byproviding horizontal lands on the longitudinal partition adjacent eachtransverse partition and a stiffening member on the upper edge of eachtransverse partition intermediate its ends. The stifiening member isadapted to be folded out of the plane of the transverse partition andinto a plane normal thereto and to be adhesively secured to the landadjacent that partition. It will be apparent that such stitfeningmembers impart structural rigidity to the transverse partitions oversubstantial parts of their lengths. This is in marked contrast toconventional carton structures which merely restrain the very centralportions of their transverse partitions against bending out of theirnormal planes under the application of endwise forces, but leave theunsupported spans of the partitions free to flex.

My invention will be easily understood from the following description ofa preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an egg carton blank of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an egg carton assembled from the blank of Fig.l but with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the egg carton of Fig. 2 taken along theline 3-3;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the carton of Fig. 3 taken alongthe line 4-4; and

Fig. 5 is a partial view of a modification of the blank of Fig. l in theregion of an end of the central partition section.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a blank for an egg carton is formed from asingle sheet of paper board of the type known as carton stock, and isadvantageously provided with a longitudinal central perforation line 6.The blank aperture 27 and the recessed "ice is divided by continuoustransverse score lines 8, 10, 12, and 14 and intermittent transversescore lines 16 and 18 which define respectively a closing strip 7, acover panel 9, a side panel 11, a bottom and central partition panel 13,a side panel 15, a transverse partition panel 17, and a gluing strip 19.The blank is generally bounded by transverse edges 20 and 20 andlongitudinal edges 22 and 22. Integral with the closing strip 7 andextending from the transverse edge 20 are locking tongues 21 whosefunction is conventional in cartons of this type.

The central partition panel 13 is further subdivided by continuoustransverse score lines 23, 23', 24 and 24', by an intermittent centraltransverse score line 25, and by intermittent transverse score lines 26and 26' parallel to and substantially equidistant from the central scoreline 25 on each side thereof. symmetrically disposed about the centralscore line 25 and spaced along it are substantially semi-circularpartition recess apertures 27 and 27 each defined by a linear edge 28and a curved edge 28. The linear edge 28 of each aperture faces thelongitudinal perforation line 6 of the blank.

Cuts 29, perpendicular to transverse score line 25 and extending betweentransverse score lines 26 and 26', are provided approximately midwaybetween the curved edge 28 of each aperture 27 and the linear edge 28 ofthe adacent aperture, or approximately midway between an portion oflongitudinal edge 22 or 22, as the case may be. Continuous of cuts 29,and extending outwardly from their ends at a slight angle gacay from thecentral perforation line 6, are cuts 30 and The cuts 29, in combinationwith the linear edges 28 of apertures 27 and transverse score lines 26and 26 nearest each cut delineate land sections 31. As exceptions, landsections 31' nearest the longitudinal edges 22 and 22' are formed bycuts 29, transverse score lines 26 and 26', and recessed edges 32 and 32of the blank, and the centermost land section 31 is bounded bytransverse score lines 26 and 26 and the linear edges 28 of theapertures 27 which face each other near the center of the panel 13. Allof these land sections are foldably attached along transverse scorelines 26 and 26' to portions of the central partition panel which arepartially severed from the remainder of the panel by cuts 30 and 30'.

The areas of the panel 13 between score lines 12 and 23 and score lines23 and 24 and the areas between the score lines 24' and 23 and scorelines 23 and 14 constitute two bottom sections of the carton blank. Inline with the linear edges 28 of apertures 27 and 27', and extendinginwardly from the transverse score lines 23 and 23, are partition tongueslots 33 and 33'. Adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal edges 22 and22' of the blank are similar partition tongue slots 34 and 34" which Iprefor to make somewhat longer than the tongue slots 33 and 33. Thesetongue slots receive the tongues on the transverse partitions of theerected carton.

The area of the blank previously referred to as the transverse partitionsection 17, which lies between intermittent transverse score lines 16and 18, is cut and scored to form transverse partitions 35 and 35.Opposite ends of each of partitions 35 and 35 are foldably attached tothe side wall 15 and to the gluing strip 19 along transverse score lines16 and 18, respectively. Perpendicular to these score lines and colinearwith linear edges 28 of apertures 27 are score lines 36 and 36' whichform triangular gussets 37 and 37 on each partition. Partitions 35nearest the perforation line 6 are foldably attached to a communicatingstiffening bridge 40 along score lines 39. These partitions 35 are alsoprovided with tabs 41 and 41' which are defined by V-shaped cuts 42 and42' and cuts 43 and 43' colinear with the perforation line 6.

The ends and bottom edges of partitions 35 and 35' are formed by cuts 44which define a central rectangular recess in each partition anddepending tongues 50 and 51' on each side of the recess. These cuts 44also define the upper edges of adjacent partitions. Additionally, cuts.45, 45' and 46 partially sever securing tabs 47 from the upper edges ofpartitions 35 and complete the definition of cover supporting tabs 48and 48. The stiffening tabs are foldably attached to the partitions 35along score lines 49 and the supporting tabs are integral with thepartitions. It will be noted that making the cuts 46 completely severssmall rectangles of the blank and leaves rectangular apertures 51 intheir stead. These apertures have a function to be explained inconnection with the discussion relating to assembly of the carton.

For easier folding of the blank any or all of the score lines may besuitably relieved by intermittent cuts or perforations. Furthermore,those surfaces of the blank which will have contact with the articles tobe packed in the erected carton may be given greater resiliency bymaking intersecting cuts in the blank as generally indicated at 52.

The cover panel 9 is advantageously provided with a recess 54 in theedge 22 and adjacent the score line 10. This recess permits a fingerhold to be had on the packed carton to facilitate its removal from aclosely packed crate of cartons.

The carton blank described above is assembled by a relatively simpleprocedure. Glue is applied, as by a gluing wheel, to the flat cartonblank areas generally indicated by the stippled areas 53 and 38. Theglued area 53 has substantially the same width as the land sections 31and 31' in panel 13 and the apertures 51 in panel 17. The blank is thenfolded about the score line 14 so that the transverse partition sectionoverlays the central partition section and stiffening tabs 47 adhere tothe. land sections 31 and 31'. It will be noted that the apertures 51overlay all portions of the glued area 53 except the land sections 31and thus preclude the glued portion of this area immediately adjacentthe score line 25 from adhering to any part of the transverse partitionpanel 17. The necessity for more tedious and expensive inter-.

mittent application of glue along the area 53 is thereby eliminated.

Following the folding of the blank about score line 14, it is againfolded about score line 12 to complete the assembly procedure. Thisoperation brings the gluing strip 19 into adhesive contact with theglued area 38 of the side panel 11 approximately midway between thescore lines 10 and 12 and parallel thereto. The carton is now ready tobe erected as illustrated in Figs. 2 through 4, inclusive.

The assembled carton is erected by squeezing between the score lines 12and 14 and thus moving the side 11 and 15 into upright positions aboutthe intermittent score lines 16 and 18, respectively. The structuralrelation of the central partition panel and the transverse partitionpanel achieved by gluing these parts together simultaneously causes thelongitudinal central partition to be drawn into an upright positionbetween the side panels. Then each of transverse partitions 35 and 35'is pushed down into the carton so that its tongues 50 and 50 engage thetongue slots 33 and 33 or 34 and 34' directly beneath the gussets bywhich the partition is attached to the side panels. It may be pointedout here that the innermost portions of the central rectangularpartition recesses of the transverse partitions 35 and 35 are soproportioned as to lend lateral support to and to prevent spreading ofthe longitudinal central partition (see Fig. 3) and the carton. To thesame end, the innermost ends of the tongue slots 33 and 33', and 34 and34' are made to bear against the inner edges of the partition tongues 41and 41, and t] and 50 respectively. The carton is now complete and readyto receive the objects to be packed therein.

In forming the blank for my improved carton I have found that thecustomary, but costly and time consuming, operation of removing theknockouts from the intended apertures in the blank may be reduced if theknockouts, other than those of apertures 51, are only partially severedfrom the blank and are left joined thereto along a substantiallystraight line defined by a score line. With reference to Fig. 5, forexample, the knockouts 55 of the longitudinal central partition recessapertures and the knockouts for the transverse partition tongue slots 56and 57 are everywhere severed from the blank except along the scorelines 58, 59, and 60, respectively. At the time of erection theknockouts may be easily pushed out of the plane of the blank and theappropriate partition or tongue may enter the aperture as though theknockout had been completely removed therefrom. In this condition thereis no danger of the knockouts becoming dislodged from the blank andclogging the carton assembly machine; nor will the knockouts create anunsightly clutter at the erection site. The only knockouts which must becompletely removed from the blank are those in the apertures 51. Thisinsures that no part of the transverse partition panel other than thesecuring tabs 47 will adhere to the glued area 53.

It will be noted that the perforation line 6 divides the erected cartoninto parts having an equal number of cells. This provides an easy andconvenient means for severing the carton Without impairing its structurewhere it is desirable to dispense in packaged form less than the totalnumber of articles, such as eggs, contained in the whole carton.However, it will be apparent that my invention is equally applicable toegg cartons constructed without the perforated partition line 6 forseparating the carton into halves. In that case the transversepartitions 35 and 35, their cooperating recess apertures 27, and thelocking tongues 21 may all extend in the same direction and the moreelaborate center section immediately adjacent the perforated partitionline 6 may be omitted.

I have thus provided a complete carton having exceptional rigidity forthe better protection of fragile articles packed therein. To one skilledin the art it will be readily apparent that this rigidity is derivedfrom the novel stiffening structure provided for the central portions ofthe transverse partitions in combination with the partitions beingsecurely anchored at their ends to the side walls of the carton.

I claim:

1. A collapsible egg carton comprising outer side walls, two bottomWalls communicating with the lower edges of the two side walls,upstanding inside walls integrally connected to the bottom wall sectionsand forming a longitudinal partition for the carton, the upstandinginside walls being discontinuously connected along their upper edges andbeing provided with fold lines and cut lines which alternately formlongitudinally of the partition adjacent its upper extremity ahorizontal land, an upwardly projecting inverted V-shaped portion and adownwardly extending recessed portion, the carton being further providedwith upstanding transverse partition members integrally connected attheupper extremities of their ends to the outer side walls adjacent theupper edges thereof, the upper central body portion of each transversepartition member being positioned within the recessed portion of thelongitudinal partition, the extreme upper central portion of eachpartition member being folded over onto and adhesively secured to theland adjacent said recessed portion.

2. A collapsible carton for packaging eggs comprising spacedsubstantially vertical first and second outside walls, a plurality ofgussets foldably attached at longitudinally spaced locations along theupper edges of said outside walls, a plurality of substantially verticaltransverse partitions, each transverse partition having a rectangularcutout intermediate its ends and extending upwardly from its lower edgeto form depending tongues on opposite lower ends of said partition,opposite ends of the upper edge of each partition being foldablyattached to the gussets on the first and second outside wallsrespectively, a securing tab for each transverse partition foldablyattached along one edge thereof adjacent the intermediate section of theupper edge of the partition, first and second bottom walls havinglongitudinally spaced transverse slots therein to receive the dependingtongues of said transverse partitions, the outermost edges of said firstand second bottom walls being foldably attached to the lower edges ofsaid first and second outside walls respectively, a double Walledlongitudinally extending vertical central partition having cutoutstherein, the edges of the cutouts extending downwardly from the upperedges of the walls of said central partition to receive the centralportions of said transverse partitions, horizontal lands supported alongtheir longitudinal edges by partially detached sections of the walls ofthe central partition adjacent the transverse partitions, the uppersurface of each land being rigidly attached to a surface of the securingtab on the transverse partition adjacent thereto, the upper edges of thewalls of the central partition being foldably joined along thosesections of the edges between a land and a cutout, the lower edges ofthe walls of the central partition being foldably attached to the inneredges of said first and second bottom walls respectively.

3. In an egg carton blank comprising consecutivelya cover flap panel, acover panel, a first side wall panel, a first bottom wall panel, twocentral longitudinal partition panels, a second bottom Wall panel, asecond side wall panel and a transverse partition panel, the transversepartition panel being provided with cut lines defining a plurality oftransverse partitions each hingedly connected with said panel so as topermit twisting of the partitions out of the plane of the panel and intoplanes normal thereto, and the two central longitudinal partition panelsbeing provided with semi-circular cutouts each spanning adjacentportions of said two partition panels and each so positioned withrespect to said transverse partition members as to provide in theupstanding longitudinal partition formed from the two longitudinalpartition panels in the assembled and erected carton an openingpermitting the aforementioned twisting of the transverse partitionmembers into a plane normal to said partition panel, the improvementwhich comprises providing the adjoining central partition panels withmutually extensive discontinuous score lines extending longitudinally ofthe panels away from the linear edges of each semi-circular cutout, thetwo score lines being equidistantly positioned transversely of the panelon opposite sides of the line of joinder of the two 1ongitudinalpartition panels, whereby upon erection of the assembled carton theareas of the adjoining central partition panels between said mutuallyextensive discontinuous score lines become horizontal lands, the cutportions of the transverse partition panel defining the upper edges Cirof the transverse partitions being provided with a central protuberanceadapted to be adhesively secured to said land.

4. A collapsible egg carton comprising longitudinal side walls andbottom walls, a longitudinal double walled central partition, upstandingtransverse partitions fixed at their opposite ends between said sidewalls, said cen tral partition having recessed portions to receive thecentral portions of said transverse partitions, the double walls of saidcentral partition being joined along their upper edges and havingpartially detached sections adjacent the recessed portions thereof, saiddetached sections having their upper extremes flattened to formhorizontal lands, and a tab joined to an extended central section ofeach of said transverse partitions and folded out of the plane thereof,said tab on each transverse partition being permanently secured to anadjacent land.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,068,780 Walsh Jan. 26, 1937 2,321,209 Holwick June 8, 1943 2,551,854Schwartzberg May 8, 1951

